"You're going to be moving into the nursery soon," Rushrunner said as he felt her side.
"I'm sorry?" Pineface twisted to look at him, confused.
The medicine cat let out a mrrow Of laughter. "You're expecting kits, Pineface. Congratulations."
"What?" She asked, bewildered.
"Kits." Rushrunner looked amused. "You're due in a half moon."
Pineface was silent.
"Well, go on," he said, nudging the red she-cat out of the nest. "Tell Winterleg."
She looked back. "How did you—?"
"He obviously loves you." Rushrunner returned to sorting herbs. "Go."
With that Pineface bounded out of the medicine den and walked over to Stonetail, who was sorting patrols.
"Oh good, you're here," he said, glancing at her. "Pineface, join Nettletongue's hunting patrol."
Pineface couldn't see her mate anywhere, and assumed he was already on patrol.
Winterleg and Pineface didn't see each other all morning, or for most of the afternoon. But when Pineface bounded into camp a little bit before sunset, searching anxiously for her mate, she found him dozing on the edge of the cavern. Hastily picking up a vole, Pineface trotted over to him.
"You hungry?"
Winterleg lifted his head. "Yes, thanks."
Pineface settled next to him, and as they finished the meal, she turned to him.
"Winterleg, we're having kits," she said softly.
His sapphire eyes lit up. "Really?"
"Yes." She nodded. "Rushrunner said I'm due in a half moon."
Winterleg purred, nuzzling his mate. "That's wonderful news."
When they tucked in for the night, Pineface noticed how Winterleg's tail curled around her belly.
/
"Pineface, it's time you moved into the nursery, don't you think?" Whitetail asked her daughter.
"Mother, I don't want to be cooped up for an entire quarter moon," Pineface complained.
"But daughter, I don't want you to lose your kits," Whitetail replied with the same whiny mew.
"Fine," Pineface grumbled, hauling herself to her feet. Her belly had grown rounder and rounder recently, and it was starting to get in the way. "I'll go make a nest."
When she entered the nursery Dapplejaw greeted her happily. "Good morning."
Her belly was practically bursting, and her kits were due any day now.
"Morning," Pineface mumbled, finding an empty spot and circling in the moss until she had a nice nest. "It's starting to get chilly at night."
"Yes, leaf-fall is coming on fast," Dapplejaw agreed, shifting in her nest. "I hope leaf-bare isn't too rough this year."
"Me too," Pineface murmured, settling deep inside her new nest. "It would be bad for the kits."
"Pineface," Winterleg greeted as he entered the nursery, dropping a mouse in front of her. "I thought you might be hungry."
"Thank you." Biting into the mouse, Pineface looked up at her mate. His breath fogged up the air and his nose was pink. "Is it cold?"
He nodded, looking concerned. "Most of the territory has frosted over."
"What?" Dapplejaw looked shocked. "It was just greenleaf a few sunrises ago!"
Winterleg glanced at her before turning back to Pineface. "It's shaping up to be the longest and coldest season since before any of us were born."
"Oh no," she murmured. "What about the kits?"
"They'll survive," Winterleg reassured, pressing his muzzle to her cheek. "I'll make sure of it."
/
As the wind whistled through the cavern Pineface hunkered down in her nest, shivering a little.
"Make sure that's weaved tight, Sharpfang," Dapplejaw mewed from the depths of her own nest. "We want all the kits to be nice and warm."
The speckled she-cat had kitted a few days prior, and Sharpfang had retired recently. He had been bored, and as the winter set in decided to reweave the bramble entrance to the nursery.
"Don't worry," he purred, glancing between the two queens. "I want to make sure my first grandchildren survive the winter."
Pineface chuckled, lifting her head to watch. "Don't worry about grandchildren, Sharpfang. I'm sure Oakthroat and h will have kits soon."
He smiled. "Perhaps."
Winterleg trotted into the den, eyes bright.
"Hi!" Pineface said cheerily, sitting up.
"Love, you should lay down." He pressed her back down carefully at the shoulder, resting his tail on her swollen belly. "You need to stay warm."
Pineface rolled her eyes. "I am warm, Winterleg!"
He purred, pressing against her. "But you're going to catch a cold if you don't stay in your nest."
She whined, rolling into his side. "I'm so bored."
Sharpfang laughed. "Brambleheart was like that."
Winterleg grinned at his father. "I bet me and Oakthroat were fighting in the womb."
Pineface licked her forepaw, drawing it over her ear. "Probably."
Dapplejaw's eyes were bright with joy. "I know Mothnose and Rosetail certainly were. Sedgecreek told me about it the other day."
Sharpfang had sat down to take a break. "Yes, Brambleheart was restless when she was in the nursery—said you were too."
Pineface flinched as a particularly hard kick struck her side. "Oof."
Winterleg curled around her, resting his head on her shoulder. "How are they?"
"Strong," she muttered as another kick struck on the other side. Pineface winced. "Very strong."
"Good," Winterleg said, rasping his tongue over his mate's ears. "They're going to make amazing warriors."
"They better," Sharpfang joked, hauling himself up. "Come help, Winterleg."
With one last lick, the black tom left Pineface's side and reared up to help his father weave branches through the brambles.
The wind was whistling through the cavern by the time the toms had finished making the entrance more secure and smaller, and it barely pierced the wall of brambles. Pineface shivered, burrowing deeper into her nest.
"It's so cold," she murmured. Winterleg curled up beside her, his black fur warm from the sun. "Thank you."
"No problem," he mumbled into Pineface's cheek, snuggling closer. "I love you."
"I love you too."
Winterleg intertwined their tails as Pineface slowly drifted into sleep, the wind whistling outside.